Fuse-cutter a nd



(No Model.)

A, VANNATTER 82; A. J. AUGUST.

FUSE CUTTER AND GAP URIMPER.

Patented Jan. 3.7, 1888.

, wan 4 3%:

Iii-the aecompanyirig-drawings,illustrating wrrnn Srnirts A LBERT VANNATTER YD ANTHQNY J. AUGUST, OF T'!\\ RON, COLEJORADO) i USE curr es and one-endures.

' SPECIFICATION :"orming part of Letters Patent No. 376,493,'dated January 17, 1888.

Application filed July 18, 1857. Serial Neill-1,641 N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT VANNATTER and ANTHONY J. AUGUST, citizens of the {United States, residingat Lawson, in the county of Clear Dreek and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Fuse-Cutter and Oap-(Jrimper; and we do declare the following to beafull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which y it appertains to make and use the same, reference bein -had to theaccompan in drawin s and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

. our invention, Figure l is a perspective view of ourcombined fuse-cutter and cap-crimper, the same beingishown open ready for action, either to cut oifa required length of fuse for a blast'or for crimping a metal fulminatecap upon the same, as the case may be. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1, the implement be ing shown closed. Fig, 3 is a transverse section in the line :0 x of Fig. 2, showing, forexample, in dotted lines a supposed length of fuse for a blast cut off from a main body portion or coilof fuse as supplied to miners l'or blasting purposes, such 'sufficient length of fuse, in fact, being cut off preparatory to supplying its end with a metal fulu'iinate-cap,as shown inFigs. 5 and 6; and Fig. 4,3. like sec tion in the line y y of Fig. 2, showing'the cir cnlar ridges whereby the metal fulminate-cap has a'portion of its length c'rimped down into and around a length of fuse at one of its ends,

as signified in Figs. 5 and (i. gitudinal central section of a given length of fuse for a blast, with the metal fulminatecap' in the act of being crimped thereon by thcimplement shown in Fig. 1, said implcmcntbeing forced from ilsopen position, as in Fig. 1, to its closed position, as inFig. 2, during such act, this View, Fig. 5, being taken in the line a z of Fig.2; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view ofa length of fuse for a blast with a thin copper fulniinate-cap crimpcd thereon and completely ready fol-insertion into the usual length of giant-powder employed by miners for blast go ing rock or ores.

Our invention has for its object the facilitating of the operation of mining, in that by Fig. 5 is a lon-' .in Fig. 2.

,it the capped fuse for blasting purposes may the cap.

Asnow practiced by miners in blasting, a stick Ofg'lfilliJ-POWGGY, which is usually of a size seven-eighths of an inch in diameter by .gight inches in length, is out in two and a hole v made into the end of one piece of the powder,

into which the cap, with the fuse, is inserted. The powder is then placedinto the hole drilled in the rock or mineral, which hole is almost invariably filled with 'water.--The hole is how, tamped with fine dirt orsand and the fuse-ig-,;. nited. The giant powder explodes as well under water as anywhere; but thecap will not explode if the, least damp; hence the great importance of our invention, which we will now proceed to describe. r

In Fig. l we have shown our. combined fusecutter and cap-crimper A, composed of two limbs, B B, as shown, which in common may articulate upon the pin 12. These limbs at their rear are made into round straight handles, as c c, care being taken that they shall be the greater portion of their length nearly, if not quite, the diameter of the fuse usually em- -ployed by miners, the full diameter of which is shown in perspective in 'Fig- 6. They are so made for a purpose which will hereinafter appear, Forward of'the pin 1) the limbs B B terminate in jaws, as O and G, the jaws each being made with half-round slots or recesses, as at d and cl, and so as to form circular holes through the jaws when closed, as represented The jaw G has a sharp cuttingblade, e, fixed to its under surface, as shown, and the half-round slots (1 d are each constructed with projecting halfcircle ridges, as at f. These ridges are in this instance three in number, although a greater or less number will answer their purpose, their use being to crimp or depress portions of the metal of the In using combined fuse-cutter and capcriin per a proper length of fuse for a blast may be out from a roll-of fuse by placing the fuse in the slot (Z of jaw 0 when the implement is open, as shown in Fig. 1, and then closing the implement A, asshown in Fig; 2, such act cutting off, for example, a length of fuse, as shown in dotted lines in'Fig. 3, above the knife-blade 6. This done, the length of fuse so cut off is then thrust into the ordinary plain copper cap, 9, as indicated in Figs. and 6, into which fulminate and powder, as m we, have been placed. The fuse G, with the metal cap 9 upon it, is then placed, as shown, in one of the half-circular slots (1' of the jaws O C while the implement is open, whereupon the hinplement i s elosed, as in Fig. 2, thereby forcing the crimping-ridgesf against the metal tube g'and forcing a portion of the body-of the metal dowu into the fuse, thus forming the circular depressions f all around the fuse. This act renders it impossible for water to enter the fulminate and powder chamber in of the tube G, which contains the fulniinnte, m, and powder, m. The fulminate and powder arethus uot'only kept perfectly dry, but the tubcg is at the same time securely attached to the fuse G against casual displacement. After having crimp'ed the metal cap g, this fuse,

as shown in Fig. 6, iscomplete and ready for use, l/Ve thenthrust one of the handles 0 a down lengthwise .into one of the pieces or sticks of giantpowder above named, thus maltinga ho'le therein fitted to snugly receive the capped endof the fuse. The giant-powler is then let into the blast-hole and the same tamped with fine dirt or sand, such portions of the fuse being left to project above the blast-hole as may be desired.

It will thus be seen that our improved implement for miners use readily serves to cut fuse into proper lengths for blasting, also for crimping and firmly attaching the fulininatetube upon the fuse, thereby also keeping the fulminate dry, and that the straight round handles 0 c serve as hole-punchers-iuthe stick of giant-powder, the hole thus made receiving the capped end of the fuse prior to plaeingthe giant-powder in the blast-hole.

We thus have produced not only a most useful implement for miners use, but we also have, as represented complete in Fig. 6, produced a new article of manufacture for miners use in blasting rock and mineral. v

' "What We claim as our invention, and desire tosecureby Letters Patent, 'is- The improved article of manufacture, to wit: an implement for cutting and capping fuse, which comprises in its construction two jaws, U G, pivoted together by pivot b and provided with-semi cylindrical recesses or-slots d and d forward of the pivot b,a cutter, e, beneath jaw 6, forward of slots (1' d, and below slots d d. crimping-ridgesf f transverse of slots (1 d, and handles 0 a, rounded and forming rigid extensions ofthejaw-s in rear of pivot b,'

substantially as and for the purpose described. in testimony whereof we ailix on r signatures in presence of two witnesses.

- ALBERT valentines; ANTHONY .l. AUGUST.

Witnesses:

MONROE CHAPMAN, James NELsoN. 

